Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen From Mars
by CreativityInACage
Summary: Crash Shepard, an orphan, is led to join the military with the promise of a noble cause...but not before meeting someone who'd change his life, and not before his commitment to his small colony on Mindoir is tested. Inspired by the Bon Jovi song.
1. Crash Shepard

**Hi there! This is my second Mass Effect fic. It was inspired by the Bon Jovi song...you should go listen to it (:**

**I made some changes story-wise…hope it works out O:**

**Enjoy!**

Mindoir.

It was a small, poor, but pleasant human colony. It was also right between where the Quarian flotilla usually was, and the Citadel where most of them went for their pilgrimages. So naturally, a lot of Quarians would stop there.

Crash Shepard.

He was an orphan, the only survivor of a ship crash (That's how he got his name) on the outskirts Mindoir seventeen years ago. He'd been only an infant then, and he was adopted by a local family and lived there ever since.

He was the small colony's golden boy. An ace student, the best athlete, and it didn't hurt that his face was one that all the girls went after.

But despite all his talents and looks, he was a loner. He just didn't like people.

He took care of his parents, and all his spare time was spent volunteering in the city, but he just couldn't help being a bit awkward.

He'd been on dates with girl, but none of his relationships lasted more than a few days.

"A relationship isn't one sided," one had told him. "You aren't giving in to your part of it." And then, with a flip of her hair, she'd left him.

It'd been a shame, because he'd really liked her. He just couldn't bring himself to say it.

All in all, for him it'd been a lonely life. He'd entertain himself by volunteering around town, even at the Quarian camps.

And then he saw the flyer.

The Alliance. A noble cause, an excting life, and a decent pay.

He always thought about joining the Military. It just seemed the right thing for him to do. And that's when he decided. In one week he'd be leaving for Alliance Boot Camp.

**…..**

"Tell me again why we're doing this?" Crash fidgeted as his mother put the stiff tuxedo on him.

"The town just wanted to throw you a party before you left. Isn't that nice of them?"

"Sure."

"Don't be so ungrateful. They love you Crash, they really do." She turned him around. "There. You look perfect."

He managed to break into a smile. "Thanks mom." He paused. "For everything."

She smiled back, and hugged him, too teary for words.

**…..**

The party was everything he dreaded. People trying to talk him, offering drinks, expecting him to be _with_ them. He felt suffocated.

After escaping the clutches of another snobby couple, he discreetly slipped out into the crisp night air. It seemed they'd invited the entire town for the party. The only sounds came from the nearby Quarian camp.

He sat down against the wall, admiring the night sky. The clusters of stars shone brightly in colors of white, reds, and blues. A sliver of the moon was visible, like a tear in the dark fabric of the heavens.

He heard footsteps. He hoped it wasn't someone from the party. He quickly got up, brushing off his suit.

"Oh s-sorry. I didn't realize someone was there." The voice spoke. Crash recognized it as a Qurian's voice.

"It's ok." He said. The silhoutte of the Quarian slightly perked a bit at the sound of his voice.

"Are you Crash Shepard?" She asked.

He took a breath. Of course. "That's me."

"Thank you for your help at the camp! We'd be dead by now if you hadn't given so much of your time to-"

"It was nothing." He said, trying to cut the conversation short.

"I'm Tali." She stuck out her hand. Odd. Quarians didn't really do handshakes. She must have really wanted to get to know him. He slowly shook it.

"Crash Shepard."

"I know." She said, practically beaming at him.

"So," he started, swallowing once. "Shall we walk?"

"Of course."

**Woo! There's the first chapter. Review! Suggestions/Ideas welcome (:**


	2. Escort

**Sorry I couldn't update this for awhile…things have been so hectic. Anyways, here's chapter two…Enjoy!**

**Also- My spellcheck is NOT working…again. So pardon all the mistakes please ):**

…**..**

They walked in a comfortable silence throughout the quiet city, the only light in the stars above them.

"So," Tali started. "You've lived here all your life?"

"The part I can remember, yeah." Crash said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Crash stretched his arms. "They found me in a ship crash when I was a year old. My real parents died there." He sighed. "That's how I got my name. Crash Shepard, only a year old and sole survivor of a terrible accident." He rubbed his forehead.

Tali inhaled sharply. "I'm so sorry, Shepard." Her tone was sincere. More sincere than anyone else who'd said they were sorry.

Crash smiled sadly. "Why are you sorry? It's not like it was your fault." He turned around. "It's not that bad. It could've been worse. I didn't even know them."

She looked down. "I suppose your right."

"Enough about me. Tell me about yourself." Wow, he thought. This was the easiest conversation he'd had in his life with someone. All his awkwardness seemed to have dissipated with this one Quarian.

"There's nothing much to tell." She shrugged. "I'm just like every other Quarian out there." She said bitterly.

"That's not true." He said softly.

She looked up at his, crossing her arms, as if she was cold. "How would you know?"

"I just do." He managed an actual smile this time.

"How do you I'm not some thieving, underhanded, vagrant like the rest of them?" She scoffed.

Crash's eyebrows furrowed. "Where did this come from?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that, normally people don't-"

"People should go to hell." He moved closer to her side. "I'm telling you right now, Tali, you're special. And not just out of Quarians, but out of everyone I know."

If it was anyone else who told Tali this, she would have just smiled and nodded. But she could tell he was being earnest- not only his words told her, but his eyes told her. He was so different from other humans she'd come across.

She looked down again, but this time in embarrassment. "Thank you. That's the first time anyone's really told me anything good about myself, and you barely know me."

"I know enough, Tali."

They walked for a long while, until they reached the edge of a high cliff, overlooking a smal beach and opening up to the universe.

"We should probably turn back." Tali said.

"Let's sit here for awhile." Crash looked out to the horizon. "It's amazing isn't it?"

She took a seat beside him. "What is?"

He pointed out to the horizon, an inferno of color, meteors flashing across the sky so that it looked alive.

"You know," Crash said, "A few hundred years ago, humans didn't believe there was any intelligent life out there except themselves."

"Really?" Tali said.

He nodded. "I think that's awfully selfish. All that space out there, all those stars and planets and everything…and you think it belongs just to you? It doesn't make any sense."

"You think that now because you know there's other life. Maybe if you were born back then you would have thought differently." Tali remarked.

"Mmm." Shepard tilted his head as he looked out to the cosmos, gazing thoughtfully. "You know, I never really got along with everyone else."

"You? Never got _along _with anyone else?"

"I mean, I have friends…but they're not friends. They're just people I know."

"I still don't believe you."

He shifted. "I don't know why. I just don't get along well. Call me socially awkward, I guess."

"But you're perfect, Crash." She'd called him by his first name. It made him feel good, like she was a friend.

"Sure I am." He said skeptically.

"You're just so sincere, you must be a good person because you've helped so much at the camp, and the fact that you might be one of the best looking humans I've ever seen-" She stopped. "I mean, you're not deformed or anything like that-"

"Oh, I know _exactly _what you mean Tali." He teased.

"That's not what I meant!"

He laughed. "How much do you wanna bet that if I removed your mask right now, you'd be blushing?"

"Quarians don't blush."

"Sure they don't." he said, giving her a friendly smile. "You know, you're not bad looking yourself-"

"I think we should leave now."

"But we were just begginning to have fun!"

"We weren't. _You _were."

"Well," He said standing up. He locked his arm onto hers. "Shall I escort you back?"

As much as Tali grumbled, she didn't protest.

…

**Woot! Chapter two is done. I promise I'll update more often, and chapters will be longer (: And for now, review please! Suggestions/Ideas welcome (:**


	3. First Kill

"Hey Shepard!" Two men hauling crates into a truck called out to him as he walked down the sidewalk.

He raised a hand in greeting and yelled back. "Hey guys!"

The two looked at eachother, dumbfounded. Then they high fived. "He responded!"

Crash Shepard chuckled to himself as he walked towards the Quarian camp. It was true, he'd become more friendlier, and ironically, it was the week before he'd leave for the Alliance.

Part of it was the Quarian, Tali. He'd been talking to her almost daily ever since the night they'd met. He really found their culture and way of life interesting, and in a way, even heartbreaking. They really were a brilliant people, a voice full of insight just waiting to be heard by other races. And most of all, they were a people who understood suffering. Shepard felt truly ignorant when Tali told him about the suits and all the uncomfort they brought with them, the palpitation-inducing stress whenever there was the slightest puncture. It was a difficult existance, but one they had to live with.

"It's ok though," She said to him one day. "We're slowly moving up. Slowly, but at least we're not moving down right?"

Shepard had shaken his head. "Prejudice and ignorance of any kind is terrible. It's not right the way some people see you."

She had smiled, though he hadn't seen it. "As long as there's people like you out there, Crash, we'll be fine."

But of course, he'd brooded over it the next day. He heard Tim O'Hare, rumored to be an ex-cerberus operative talking about how the Quarian camp should be eradicated, or moved farther away.

O'Hare went home with a bloody nose, and without his wallet.

Shepard felt incredibly good after that. Sure, he helped out everywhere, but in his entire life, he'd never actually stood up for anything.

He never really _believed_ in anything.

Sure, they could call him xenophile or a Quarian-lover, but he didn't care.

And that felt good to him.

He had a twinge of regret, regret about wasting his youth caging himself in his room, reading or going for a run all alone. But, he thought, it was better he changed now than never.

…..

Tali sat on a treebranch and watched Shepard as he dug an irrigation tunnel from the nearby stream into a water filter. It would be his last day in the camp, and he wanted to get as much done as possible. They could have done it themselves, like they did most things, but Shepard thought they needed a break.

"So when are you leaving?" She asked, her feet dangling off the edge of the branch.

"On Friday," He said, looking over his shoulder as he dug deeper. "An Alliance recruitment ship is stopping here to pick me up and get some supplies."

She watched him thoughtfully. He was the only human she'd really gotten to know, and didn't want him to leave. "Are you sure it's what you want?"

He'd started lining the tunnel in a waterproof seal. "I guess. I mean, there's nothing for me here."

"I see what you mean." She sighed. "Thanks for all the help here. I'm actually leaving here on Friday myself."

He looked up, sweat glistening his bare chest. "Oh really?"

She nodded. "We got the ship all fixed up, so me and two of the others are going to try and get to the Citadel."

He started setting up the pump, the last thing he needed to do. "Are you sure you guys will be fine? I'm no tech genius but I could look at it if you want."

"No, it's fine. We're going to make at least two stops anyways, and hopefully find someone as nice as you to help us."

He pulled the lever on the pump, and water started streaming into the tunnel. Success. He looked up at Tali, a foot above him, and smiled. "It was nothing." he said. "The water's all good to go by the way."

Tali perked up at the news. "The others will be so happy they got a few days of rest!"

He grinned again. His facial muscles felt tired after smiling as much as he had the past four or five days. "And you? Will you be happy?" He asked playfully.

At that moment, Tali slipped off the branch, and landed on top of Shepard.

"You could've just said yes you know, instead of this huge display of affection." Shepard wheezed. Tali quickly got off of him and helped him up, stuttering.

"S-sorry, the branch, it, it, was slippery and-"

"You know Tali, I always knew you liked me, but not this much. You could have just asked."

"Shut up Shepard." Yes she liked him. But not in _that _way.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" He said mischieviously.

"Bosh'tet." Ok, maybe a little.

He walked coser to her. "I'll miss you too."

She looked up at him, and swallowed. "I really will miss you, Shepard."

"Maybe our paths will cross one day, eh?"

"Maybe."

There was a sudden crash from somewhere around a mile away.

"Did you hear that?" Crash asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah." She walked out of the woody area onto the road. "Oh God."

He pulled on a sweatshirt and ran beside her. A ship hovered above the colony, and a plume of dark smoke rose from the middle of town. "What is that?" He asked.

Tali could barely speak. "Keelah." She whispered.

He took her by the shoulder. "Tali. Whose ship is that?"

"It's the ship used by Batarian slavers." She said, her voice cracking. She ran to get a dark bag, and put it around Shepard's shoulder. "Do you know how to use a gun?"

"Point and shoot?"

"Close enough. Hurry, we might be too late." She started running towards the colony.

….

Half the city was obliterated by a bomb. Rubble littered the street, parts of buildings he'd grown up around crushed under his feet. He felt the smooth grip of a pistol in his hand, trembling in fear.

Tali motioned for him to come closer. She tapped her omni-tool a few times, and the drone following her turned invisible. Shepard leaned over to lok at the video feed.

The blurred camera of the drone was soon sprayed with blood.

Batarians forced men and women out of their homes, butchering the ones who resisted too much. People ran from their homes, only to be met with either shackles or a spray of bullets. He caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

"Turn it left." He whispered. Tali obliged.

No.

No. No. No.

Not his parents.

They walked like lambs to the slaughter, faces down, feet heavy.

"I have to go save them."

Tali looked at him. "You expect to go in the middle of a group of bloodthirsty Batarians, save your parents and come out alive? You don't even know how to use a gun!" She said incredulously.

"Yes I do. I said before, point and shoot." And with that he was off.

Tali hesitated. She swore once, and followed him.

….

There were thirty or so they'd taken prisoners. Crash willed himself not to scream or cry. Two batarians guarded the prisoners, three on the rooftops above, four checking bodies, and another four went into the ship.

"Do you have a plan?" he asked Tali.

"You're the one who ran off to save the day." She pointed out.

He ignored her. "I can take the rooftop ones out with biotics."

"You're a biotic?"

"Kind of."

"Ok, so you've never used a gun, and you're _kind of _a biotic? I thought you were smarter than this!"

"How many can your drones take out?"

She sighed. "The ones checking the bodies. Then you can take the guards out with your pistol." She paused. "Don't hesitate, Shepard. Just do it. Don't think about shooting them."

"You don't have to tell me." He snarled. "How about you?"

"I've had target practice with some Geth. Don't worry about me." She grew quieter. "One of my friends was taken by a slave ship like this."

He took her hand, and looked at her. "We can do this, Tali. I know we can."

She nodded. "Lets hurry before the ones in the ship come back."

He silently took out the rooftop guards, incinerating their armor while Tali's silenced drone shot each until they stopped moving.

The six on the ground were the ones left. One was out of sight, behind a wall that miraculously still stood. The silenced drone also took that one out.

"You ready?" Tali asked, taking out her own pistol.

He nodded, unable to speak.

"On three." She took a deep breath. "One, two, three!"

Both leaned out of their hiding spot, Tali taking the three on her right while Shepard carefully took out the guards. The first shot surprised him, a clean hit to the Batarian, while his own arms was shaken by the recoil. He held onto it tighter. The second one went down after three. Not a single prisoner was hurt.

They'd won.

"You're a natural." Tali remarked, her own targets down within a few seconds.

"Thanks." he exhaled, shaking. He'd just shot people. In any case, he'd think of it later. He had to free the prisoners. "Let's go."

"Oh, I don't think you're going anywhere, human." A deep, guttural voice behind Shepard spoke at the same moment he felt a gun shoved against the back of his head. He looked sideways, another Batarian holding his gun against Tali's mask.

Shepard looked to the dusty sky and swore.

"Oh shit."

…..

**Chapter three...i didn't like it much but oh well.d: Now go review. You know you want to. (: Oh, and if you like this check out my other ME fic, 'The Runaway!'**

**P.S.-i may do a rewrite of this fic...just might...**


	4. Ready

"Throw the gun to the side." The voice behind him snarled. Crash Shepard hesitated, thinking maybe he could do something, but not before the Batarian nudged him again with the cold muzzle of his gun. "Don't try anything stupid."

Defeated, Crash threw the gun to the side, where it lay still, reflecting the dim light of the setting sun. The Batarian smattered the pistol beneath his foot.

"Thought you'd do better than trying to take us on with something Quarian-made." He said, sneering at Tali. "Take them to the cages."

The slaver holding Tali took Shepard as well, pushing them mercilessly to where the bewildered people of Mindoir stood. Two guards replaced the ones who were dead out of nowhere.

Shepard stole a glance at Tali, and whispered. "Where did all of these come from?"

"New cloaking technology." The voice behind them boomed. "Stole a bunch of them of a Salarian ship last month." The Batarian smirked. "Bet you didn't see that coming." His voice scornful, throwing them on the ground at the feet of the two guards.

"I'll go ask the Commander what to do with these pests. Watch them closely. Make sure they don't try anything."

Shepard could see the two guards nod from the side of his vision. He looks at Tali, and noticed her pistol gone as well. He tried to adjust himself, moving on his side, but not before his breath was knocked out by a kick to his stomach.

"You heard him. Don't try anything." A voice snarled. Shepard coughed, flecks of red spattering the dusty beige ground.

The Batarian from before walked back. "We have a problem."

"What happened?" The guard who'd kicked Shepard asked.

"The whole damn ship's wrong." He muttered. "We were just stalling, but all of a sudden the engine starts overheating, shields just drop, and every damn door is locked! Even the Commander's office."

"Did you ask that Salarian that was supposed to help with repairs?"

"He said he didn't know…so I shot him."

"What?" The Batarian roared. "He was the only damn engineer we have! And you shot him?"

"He said he didn't know!" The other said in defense. "It was a waste of time and money to keep him around. Besides, I have a feeling he was trying something."

"That decision is for the Commander to make, idiot."

"He's locked in his office…idiot." The batarian said in a mocking voice. "Well what are we supposed to do now?"

"How am I supposed to know? You shot the only damn tech we have."

"Why don't we ask one of the humans? They should know _something _right?"

The guard scoffed, gesturing at the decimated colony. "Based by the looks of this dump? Not likely."

The other hesitated, and pointed to Tali. "How about that Quarian?"

The guard shrugged. "Let's give it a try. And bring that human with her."

"Why?"

"We need to bring him to the Commander straight after. Now hurry up." He barked.

The other Batarian, who had a rifle tied to his back, bellowed at both of them to get up. Shepard glanced at Tali, who ushered him to follow the rifleman.

He stepped carefully, not daring to look up at the face of the panicked colonists, the ones he'd failed. He couldn't bear to, but he felt their eyes moving as he took paiful steps behind the Slaver.

The ship was surprisingly clean and well maintained, considering the crude manner of the batarians. They walked past a window where turret guns were lined up against shutters, and through a sterile looking kitchen with a faint scent of ammonia. Finally, they came to a wide hallway lined with monitor screens one one side, and weapon lockers on the other. The screens of the monitors all glowed in the same red error message.

"It's obvious someone has tampered with the systems." Tali whispered. " Probably the Salarian they shot. I bet he was trying to escape. This may be a second chance for us."

"Shut up!" The rifleman barked behind him. They'd reached a fork in the hallway. "To the right is the engine room and the drive core. The left is the navigation and the main server room. Figure out what to do before I get impatient and blow your brains through that mask of yours." He snarled.

Tali gestured towards Shepard. "I'll need him to be uncuffed as well."

The Batarian looked at her suspiciously. "And why's that?"

"He's going to help with some of the stuff. If it's just me it's going to take all day." She said impatiently.

"Fine. But I'll be watching you every step of the way." He said, unshackling Crash. His wrists were red where the rough iron had dug into his skin.

Tali nodded, and took the left fork to the server rooms.

* * *

"So here," Tali said, pulling up a screen from her omni-tool "Is a diagram of which wires you need to connect in order to bring the severs back online."

What she was really showing Shepard was a note- _Do you think we should take him out?_

"No Tali." Shepard said simply. "I think that's the diagram for the minor servers, we need to fix the major ones, like the one near the _security camera._"

Tali nodded, understanding Shepard's reply- it was too risky. She could see the red light from the camera as it panned over the room.

"My bad, Shepard. Hold on, let me see something." She opened up a circuit board, examining the wires and tapping on a console.

Crash Shepard glanced at the Batarian, who was sitting down on the floor fiddling with his gun. The room was a collection of shelves holding various instruments, crates full ofused data cards, wires up to six inches thick running through the roof, and the single dusty security camera overlooking the room.

Tali tapped her omni-tool again, another message: _The security cameras are the only things up. Ask him why._

Shepard frowned, and turned towards the Batarian, now disassembling his gun. "Why are the security camera's up when everything else's down?"

The Batarian looked up, the screw in his hand rolling under a shelf. "We had a failsafe installed a few months ago. They were down for a few seconds but were able to come back up."

Tali looked at Shepard. The Batarian slid onto his stomach, looking for the screw that had dropped from his hand. Tali quickly tapped at the console near her, hearing a satisfying beep a few seconds later.

"Take him out now. Any way you can." She said, urgently motioning towards the batarian still groping under shelves.

Shepard walked over. "It's right there." He said, motioning to an opposite shelf.

"Thanks." The Batarian grunted. "Wait-"

Shepard pushed the shelf, which was loaded with maybe thirty or forty kilograms of weight, which all came crashing down on the Batarian.

Tali immediatley started running. "Good work Shepard. Follow me."

Both of them soon arrived at the navigation room, empty and quiet except for the quiet whirring of the engine.

"What now?" Shepard asked.

"We have about ten minutes before the cameras come up again. We need to figure out something." Tali looked around the room.

"Wait," Shepard paused. "If there's security cameras, doesn't that mean someone's watching through them? They'll know that someones tampered with the system."

Tali shook her head. "I put the video on a loop. Besides, whoever's watching is stuck in the room until we fix the mainframe."

Shepard nodded. "Alright. So what do you have in mind?"

"Do you know if you can send a distress signal from anywhere on the colony?"

Shepard thought, his mind backtracking to the destroyed colony. "No. They bombed the square to smithereens. It's the only place I know that has a distress signal."

Tali paced the floor. Anything, she thought, anything that could help them…

"Can you make one from here?" Shepard asked.

Tali shook her head. "Whatever the Salarian did, it was thorough. It'll take hours to do something like that." She shook her head. "Damn slavers."

Shepard snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

"What?"

"They're slavers right? That means there's others on the ship. Others that can help us fight. And the hallway with the monitors, there was maybe thirty or forty weapon lockers. We can lead all of them out and arm them. It'll be like having a small army, if we can find out where they're celled."

Tali slowly nodded. "It's worth a try. When I was looking through the security feed, i saw a room where I think they're keeping them. Let's go."

* * *

Eight Salarians, two ex-special forces.

Nineteen humans, four Alliance soldiers, four retired.

Two Asari, wearing some type of belts that dulled their biotic powers.

And four Quarians.

That made thirty three in all, ten with military experience, and once they got the belts off, two decent biotics.

Shepard had gone to the lockers and gotten two grenades, which Tali modified, to blow the door open. They didn't want to risk opening all the other doors if they did it mechanically.

Shepard talked to them about the situation, their silent and desperate faces taking in each word, because each word led them to something they thought had ended days ago- freedom.

They followed Shepard in a single file line to where the lockers were, the ones with experience taking SMGs or rifles, the others taking explosives and pistols. Shepard himself took a sniper rifle, Tali taking a shotgun. She stayed with the Quarians, even embracing one who wore a green mask.

Once they were all outfitted, Shepard told one of the soldiers the positions of the Batarians and cages. The solider went to talk with the others, and finally they came up with a plan.

They made six groups, two led by the ex-Alliance soldiers, two led by the Alliance soldiers, and another two by the Salarians. The ones who didn't have experience fighting would stay behind, hopefully not having to fight. Two groups would lead a frontal assault, giving time for two to lead a flank attack, and two others to hopefully take the civilians to safety.

The soldiers instructed everyone on what to do and where to go, while Shepard took Tali aside.

"Everything's good?" He asked.

Tali nodded. "I think we both did pretty good. You should be proud, Shepard."

He smiled. "Thanks Tali. You too." He hesitated. "Who's that over there?"

Tali looked down, as if shy. "He was that friend I told you about. What a coincidence he was on this ship huh?"

Shepard nodded. "Yeah, it is. He must be a pretty good friend of yours. You were talking to him the entire time."

Tali paused. "Yes. Actually, we're supposed to be married once we finish both of our pilgrimages."

"Married? Wow." He, too, looked down. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Shepard." Tali said, both of them falling in an awkward silence.

Mercifully, the Alliance solider leading one of the teams walked up to them. "We're a go in one minute. You ready?"

Shepard nodded. "Ready as ever."

Ready to take back his friends and family. Ready to take back a colony. Ready to take back his home.

But one word still hung in the back of his head.

_Married._

* * *

**Wee! So, how did you like it? Reviewcookies much appreciated!**


	5. One Less

**Sorry for the delay. Never thought Sophomore year was gonna be so busy . But here it is!**

**I found that the married thing was a little corny. But. Oh well. Here's the next one xD**

* * *

Shepard followed the Alliance Soldier, staying in the back of the group. Everything was set, in position, ready to go.

"If they stayed in the same positions as you remembered, this should be pretty clean." The soldier said over his shoulder. "Alright, on three!"

Shepard tightly gripped the firearm in his hands, trembling the slightest bit.

"One!"

His finger tightened around the safety.

"Two!"

He clicked it down, the gun ready to tear through Batarian flesh.

"Three!"

Footsteps shuffled quickly towards the exit, and the piercing sound of gunfire soon followed. Fear slithered up Crash's legs, gripping his arms and wrapping around his head until he didn't even want to move. But something made him run out with the rest.

Everything was a blur. Light's and flashes exploded in front of his eyes, as he pointed and shot in a diagonal sweep, not looking to see if he'd actually hit anything. The soldiers yelled incoherently over the noise, while the colony people cowered under the smoke, crouching on the ground. Small explosions from the few grenades there were rocked the earth, scorching the dull ground. Crash shot his last three rounds in the vague direction of a Batarian, then lay on his stomach behind a boulder.

Then suddenly, the earth finally shook for the last time, the last shot was fired, and the smoke began to clear. Still in the grip of fear's murderous hands, Crash raised his head over the boulder, squinting through the smoke. He could barely make out the silhouettes of several bodies, laying limp on the ground.

What he couldn't make out, were the types of bodies they were. Human? Batarian?

He slowly stepped forward, knees trembling beneath him, and let out a sigh of relief as the smoke cleared completely. The bodies were Batarian.

He counted the ones laying on the ground. All of them seemed to be dead. At least he thought so. He backtracked to when he was hiding with Tali. Wait. Wasn't there supposed to be one more? He shook his head. No, he was either wrong or the other one was behind one of the boulders. There was no way-

Before he could finish his thoughts, he felt something hit his neck. Something small. That seemed odd. He felt the place where it was hit. It felt wet. Was it rain maybe? He looked at his fingers.

Red.

Blood?

But before he could comprehend what was going on, he passed out, crumpling to the ground.

* * *

**Sorry for the shortness :( I'm trying to update at least half my fics today. But there WILL be a new chapter up by Monday. This I promise. Now go review!**


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